Ringebu: Pilgrim Trails, Cycling and Village History

Ringebu combines a historic village centre with pilgrim trails and cycling opportunities. The centre is considered one of Norway’s best-preserved village environments. Landsbyen Ringebu was founded as a trading centre in 1899; local markets, a gallery and cultural venues remain part of the village today. This gives you a choice when planning your holiday: active days on a bike, a stage of the pilgrim trail, or discoveries related to history and village life.

Arrive by train and explore Ringebu

Ringebu station is on the Dovre Line. Trains run from there to Oslo S, Lillehammer, Dombås and Trondheim S. The station is also a transport hub, with shared services for trains, buses and taxis. These connections may play a part in deciding how to travel, but they say nothing about the location of individual holiday apartments.

Those choosing Ringebu as a destination will find different options for planning their days. The Ringebu–Otta pilgrim route is 63 kilometres long and takes four days. Its first section runs for 12 kilometres from Ringebu to Hundorp. It starts at Ringebu Stave Church and reaches Vålerbrua in the centre of Ringebu. You can plan around the described stage or the entire route, without confusing the lengths of the two routes.

Pilgrim trail and history

The Pilgrimsleden passes the historic Ringebu Stave Church and Prestegard, follows Panoramaveien, goes through the centre and continues north. The nearby stave church was built around 1220 and is one of 28 surviving stave churches in Norway. Together with Prestegard, it offers a cultural and historical focus distinct from the trails and village centre.

Nearby Ringebu Prestegard hosts art exhibitions and an exhibition about the history of stave churches. Landsbyen Ringebu also has a gallery featuring works by local photographers. Gildesvollen is another cultural discovery in the surrounding area: a venue there houses a woodcarving workshop with a shop called Tre & Tradisjon. At Høgkleiva, contemporary art is interwoven with the site’s history, legends and stories. These include an Iron Age hillfort, the legend of the sister bells and the story of a former execution site.

Cycling and seasonal village life

There are rideable cycling trails in the forests near the centre. Værfast maintains and develops them through agreements with the relevant landowner associations. Værfast also offers support on cycling tours through guided rides or instruction. Full-suspension electric bikes are available to rent from Sport 1 Ringebu. There is a pump track in the centre for younger and older cyclists. These different options give you concrete points to consider when planning if cycling is to be an important part of your trip.

The events calendar also shapes village life at certain times of year. SykkelVIKU is a cycling festival held in Ringebu every August. During Torghandelsommer, Landsbyen Ringebu’s pedestrian street becomes a local marketplace on Saturdays throughout the summer. Market vendors offer, among other things, regional food sourced nearby. In autumn, the annual Fårikålfestivalen comes to a close in the centre of Ringebu. The festival includes market vendors, exhibitors, activities, a ram judging, and all-day entertainment.

When choosing your holiday apartment, it may therefore be important to consider which aspects of Ringebu appeal to you most: the pilgrim route and cultural sites, cycling opportunities, or seasonal village events. If you would like to explore other destinations in this selection, you can also visit Venabygd and Fåvang.

For the main travel overview: Ringebu.